Ethnic Identity of the Roma in Academic Confrontations. The Ethnicity Field as an Unclear Space for Entering the Discourse on the Ethnic Identity of Roma

According to some Czech academics Roma people do not have ethnic identity. Therefore the effort of state institutions to support their cultural activities and their national awareness is in context of solving more burning Roma issues of social exclusion and poverty only wasting of energy and finance. This view on Roma opens up more wide discussion about Roma ethnic identities among other Czech academics and brought to the consideration other topics such as academic representations of Roma and their influence on policy measures, relations between researchers identity and the way they construct Roma ethnic identity and also the appropriate research methodology. Based on this academic discussion the paper explores the narrative methodology within the issue of constructing Roma city youth identities. The article is primarily one of the outcomes of my own qualitative research however it tries to reflect also my long-term relations and work experiences among Roma in Czech Re public.